Flaring and expanding tools are used to expand the internal and/or external dimensions of the end of a tube or pipe for swaging or joining pipe or for other plumbing and piping applications. Generally, a tool or head is inserted into the end of the tube, forcing the tube material outward to plastically deform the tube end into the desired shape or flare. The inventors have discerned a number of disadvantages of previously-known flaring and expanding tools.
One disadvantage is that such tools are difficult to set-up and operate. Even when the workpiece is a relatively soft material, such as annealed copper tubing, plastically deforming the material requires significant force. Thus, previously known tools have several configurations to provide mechanical leverage.
Lever expanders, for example, use long levers to impart mechanical leverage to the expander head. These tools are large, bulky, and require two hands to operate, limiting their usefulness, especially in small spaces. Further, though providing significant leverage, it can be difficult to determine the proper force to exert, leading to over-expanding of the tube or even splitting or cracking. Punch-style expanders can also be difficult to use.
Previously-known flaring tools are also difficult to set up. Setting up the flare block and yoke in the correct position to properly flare the tube is time-consuming. Even after set up correctly, such devices are difficult to operate, as the pipe and block must be held while the yoke is operated. In tools utilizing screw mechanisms to drive the flare cone, spinning the handle can be difficult and fatiguing.